Electronic television program guide schedule system and method with scan feature

ABSTRACT

An electronic program schedule system which utilizes a receiver for receiving broadcast, satellite or cablecast television programs for a plurality of television channels and a tuner for tuning a television receiver to a selected one of the plurality of channels. A data processor receives and stores in a memory television program schedule information for a plurality of television programs to appear on the plurality of television channels. A user control apparatus, such as a remote controller, is utilized by a viewer to choose user control commands and transmit signals in response to the data processor which receives the signals in response to user control commands. A television receiver is used to display the television programs and television program schedule information. A video display generator receives video control commands from the data processor and program schedule information from the memory and displays a portion of the program schedule information in overlaying relationship with a television program appearing on a television channel in at least one mode of operation of the television programming guide. The data processor controls the video display generator with video control commands, issued in response to the user control commands, to display program schedule information for any chosen one of the plurality of television programs in overlaying relationship with at least one television program then appearing on any chosen one of the plurality of channels on the television receiver. The system includes a scan feature to permit the user to scan program schedule listings for multiple programs in any of the operational modes of the system with the issuance of a single user control command.

This is a continuation of Ser. No. 08/675,082 filed Jul. 3, 1996.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an electronic program schedule system, whichprovides a user with schedule information for broadcast or cablecastprograms viewed by the user on a television receiver. More particularly,it relates to an improved electronic program guide that provides theuser with a more powerful and convenient operating environment, while,at the same time, increasing the efficiency of navigation by the userthrough the guide. Most particularly, it relates to an improved EPGhaving a scan feature. The EPG scan feature causes television programsand/or items of program schedule information to be displayed seriatim,each for a fixed time. The feature may be turned off at any point duringthe scan, whereupon, as described below, the user may either continue toview the then-played program or schedule information, or return to theprogram or schedule information displayed at the time the scan wasinitiated.

Electronic program guides for television systems are known in the art.For example, one prior system used an electronic character generator todisplay textual schedule information on the full screen of a televisionreceiver. Other prior systems presented electronically stored programschedule information to a user for viewing while allowing the user toselect display formats. Still other systems employed a data processor toinput userselection criteria, then stored only the program scheduleinformation meeting these criteria, and subsequently used the storedinformation to automatically tune a programmable tuner or activate arecording device at the time of broadcast of the selected televisionprograms. Such prior systems are generally discussed in “Stay Tuned forSmart TV,” published in the November 1990 issue of Popular Science.

Collectively, the prior electronic program systems may be difficult toimplement and cumbersome to use. They also fall to provide viewingcapabilities that address in a more realistic manner the viewing habitsof the users of these electronic program systems. Moreover, many ofthese systems are complex in their design and are expensive toimplement. Ease of use and economy are primary concerns of televisionprogram distributors and viewers as they contemplate dramatic increasesin the number and nature of program networks and other television-basedservices. And, as the number of television channels available to a userincreases dramatically with the advent of new satellite and cable-basedtechnologies, the utility of these prior systems substantiallydiminishes.

The prior electronic program guides also lack a method for creating aviewing itinerary electronically while still viewing a program currentlyappearing on the television receiver. Moreover, these prior programguides leave much guess work for the user as he navigates through asequence of channels. When skimming through channels to ascertain theprogram then being displayed on any channel, commonly known as “channelsurfing,” the user needs to guess which program is currently being airedfrom the video encountered as the user surfs through the channels. Sincemuch—in some cases, up to 30%—of the programming appearing on any givenchannel at any given time is advertising or other commercialprogramming, the user is not provided with any clues as to what programis appearing on a selected channel at a given time and must thereforewait until the advertisement or commercial is over before ascertainingthe program then appearing on the selected channel. Thus a need existsfor a program guide which displays current program schedule informationfor each channel as the user surfs through the available channels.

Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a simplified electronicprogram schedule system that may be more easily implemented, and whichis appealing and efficient in operation. There is also a need to providethe user with an electronic program schedule system that displays bothbroadcast programs and electronic schedule information in a manner notpreviously available with other electronic program schedule systems,particularly those using a remote controller.

The present invention is directed to the incorporation of a “scan”feature into an EPG. Such a scan feature is useful to automaticallycycle through a plurality of programs currently being received on aplurality of channels, or a plurality of program schedule information inany of the various operating modes of an EPG as described below.

Certain scan features are known in the audio field, particularly inautomobile radios to permit a user to sample the radio programs beingreceived on a number of stations in a hands-free manner with the singletouch of a button. Once a radio's scan feature has been enabled, theradio tunes to each receivable radio station on the tuning band, inorder, beginning at the presently tuned station and stopping for apreset time at each station before moving to the next. When the driveror other listener wishes the radio to remain tuned to a particular oneof the scanned stations, the scan function is deactivated and listeningreturns to normal.

In addition, some remote control devices for television, such as theUniwand™ sold by Universal Electronics, include a “scan” key. When thiskey is pressed, the remote control device emits a stream of infraredsignals at predetermined time intervals to cause the television tuner tosequentially tune to the next channel. However, because the signals aretransmitted by the remote control device, the user must keep the deviceaimed at the infrared receiver throughout the scan process so that theinfrared signals continue to be received by the television. This isawkward and cumbersome.

However, existing EPGs do not provide for user-controllable scanning ofprograms or program schedule information, which are desirable featuresin an EPG because the user need not manually scan, or “surf,” throughprograms or schedule information by continually depressing a channel ordirection arrow key on a remote controller.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to incorporate ascan feature into an EPG.

It is a further object of the present invention to incorporate the scanfeature into the various operating modes of the EPG.

A still further object of the present invention is to incorporate a scanfeature into of an EPG such that a user can scan through actualtelevision programs or program schedule information.

A still further object of the invention is to obviate the requirementfor a user to keep the remote control device aimed at the television toperform a scan operation.

These and other objects of the invention are achieved by an electronicprogram schedule system which includes a receiver for receivingbroadcast, satellite or cablecast television programs for a plurality oftelevision channels and a tuner for tuning a television receiver to aselected one of the plurality of channels. A data processor receives andstores in a memory television program schedule information for aplurality of television programs to appear on the plurality oftelevision channels. A user control apparatus, such as a remotecontroller, is utilized by a viewer to choose user control commands andtransmit signals in response to the data processor which receives thesignals in response to user control commands. A television receiver isused to display the television programs and television program scheduleand other information. A video display generator receives video controlcommands from the data processor and program schedule information fromthe memory and displays a portion of the program schedule information ineither full screen mode or in overlaying relationship with a televisionprogram appearing on a television channel in at least one mode ofoperation of the television programming guide. The data processorcontrols the video display generator with video control commands, issuedin response to the user control commands, to display program scheduleinformation for any chosen one of the plurality of television programsin either full screen mode or in overlaying relationship with at leastone television program then appearing on any chosen one of the pluralityof channels on the television receiver.

In response to a single user control command, the data processor causesthe tuner to scan channels and/or program schedule information seriatim.For example, in one mode of operation of the EPG of the presentinvention—referred to as FLIP mode and described more fully below—thedata processor causes the tuner to increment (or decrement) by one thecurrently tuned channel, display the received program for the channeltogether with program schedule information identifying the program for apredetermined amount of time, and then increment (or decrement) by onethe channel, display that channel and associated program scheduleinformation for the predetermined amount of time, and so on, until asecond user control command causes the tuner to stop scanning and remainon the currently tuned channel, or until the data processor otherwisecauses the tuner to stop the scan. Similarly, in another mode ofoperation of the EPG of the present invention—referred to as BROWSE modeand described more fully below—the scan feature may be used to scanprogram schedule information (on either a channel or time basis) whilethe tuner remains tuned to the same channel.

In addition, the scan feature of the present invention may also be usedin modes of an EPG that display full pages of program scheduleinformation to permit a user to scan through the program scheduleinformation with a single user control command.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing various components of the preferredembodiment of the invention herein.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the combination of program andschedule information by the video overlay device utilized in the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 depicts a remote controller that can be used in connection withthe electronic program guide system of the present application.

FIG. 4 depicts an alternative embodiment of the remote controller shownin FIG. 3.

FIG. 5A shows an overlay appearing on a television screen in one mode ofoperation of the present invention.

FIGS. 5B-C illustrate the operation of the scan feature in the “FLIP”mode of the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a screen used in the present invention that permits auser to set the term of a scan operation.

FIG. 7 shows a graphic overlay appearing on a television screen in a“BROWSE” mode of operation of the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows a graphic overlay appearing on a television screen in aBROWSE mode of operation of the present invention having differentinformation from that shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 8A shows a graphic overlay appearing on a television screen in aBROWSE mode of operation in the present invention displaying scheduleinformation for a time and channel other than that shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9A shows a graphic overlay appearing on a television screen in aBROWSE mode of operation in the present invention to permit a user toset a REMINDER message for a future program.

FIG. 9B shows yet another graphic overlay appearing in a REMINDER modeof operation of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 shows a screen used in one embodiment of the present inventionto permit a user to select a channel-wise or time-wise scan in theBROWSE mode of operation of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11A-C show three successive screen displays of a channel-wise scanin the BROWSE mode of operation of one embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIGS. 12A-12C show three successive screen displays of a time-wise scanin the BROWSE mode of operation of one embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIGS. 13A-13C show three successive screen displays of an alternateembodiment of a time-wise scan in the BROWSE mode of operation of oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 shows schedule information displayed in a Listings By Categorymode of operation of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 shows schedule information displayed in a Listings By Channelmode of operation of one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION System Configuration

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing various components of the electronicprogram schedule system generally designated as 10. Physically, thesesystem components can be located in a user's set-top cable converter boxor other signal reception or processing device, such as a satellitereceiver. Alternatively, the components can be mounted in a separatehousing, or included as part of a television receiver, VCR, personalcomputer, or multimedia player; or reside as a distributed applicationin a broadband network architecture.

An input signal 11 is connected to a receiver 12, which receives atransmitted data stream from a data provider. The data stream maycontain, for example, information about programs or services availablein a particular market, geographical or otherwise. The input signal 11can originate, for example, as part of a standard broadcast, cablecastor satellite transmission, or other form of data transmission. The dataprovider is a program information provider, the satellite uplinkmanager, a local cable operator, or a combination of these sources, andthe data stream contains program schedule information for all televisionprograms and other services available in the operator's geographicalmarket.

The data stream may be modulated and then transmitted on the cable linein any number of ways, including as part of a dedicated channeltransmission operating at a frequency of, for example, 75 MHz. Those ofskill in the art will understand that numerous other transmissionschemes can be used to transmit the data stream, such as embedding it inthe vertical blanking interval of a program broadcast signal. As will bediscussed in greater detail below, according to the present invention,the transmitted data stream may additionally contain applicationsoftware for implementing or updating the electronic program guide atthe user site.

The transmitted program schedule data or application software isreceived by the receiver 12 on signal input line 11. The received signalis passed from the receiver to a data demodulator 13, such as a QPSKdemodulator or a GI Info-Cipher 1000R, which demodulates thetransmission and passes it to a buffer 15.

A microcontroller 16, such as a M68000EC, receives data passed to thebuffer 15. Bootstrap operating software, which may be used for capturingelectronic program guide application software updates, is stored in aread only memory (ROM) 17. The microcontroller 16 uses the receivedprogram schedule information to build a database by storing the data inappropriately organized records in dynamic random access memory (DRAM)18. The stored schedule information can be updated on a periodic basis,such as hourly, daily or weekly, or at any time when changes inscheduling or other factors warrant an update. The system also includesa system clock 19.

Alternatively, the program schedule information could be supplied in aROM, disk or other non-volatile memory, or it could be downloaded to astorage disk or other data storage device. The invention herein is notdirected to the particular method of transmission or reception of theschedule information.

If the microcontroller 16 recognizes the received data as applicationsoftware which controls the program schedule system, as opposed toprogram schedule information, it stores it in non-volatile memory, suchas an electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM) 20 orbattery-backed static RAM (SRAM). This configuration allows revised orreplacement versions of the application software to be downloadeddirectly from the software developer to the user site through the cableor other transmission system.

In the case where an EEPROM is utilized, revised or replacement versionsof the application software downloaded from the developer are firststored in DRAM 18 by the microcontroller 16, under direction of thedownloading operating software stored in the ROM 17. The storedapplication software can then be checked for accuracy by, for example, achecksum analysis or other verification routine.

After the accuracy of the application software has been verified, themicrocontroller 16 initiates a routine to re-program the EEPROM 20,where the application software is permanently stored. Themicrocontroller 16 will issue proper control commands to a reprogramcircuit 21, which is adapted to supply the proper program voltage andlogic control signals 22 required to erase and write to the EEPROM. Itsupplies this program voltage, Vprog, as well as any other requiredcontrol signals, such as read or write enable, to the EEPROM 20 uponcommand from the microcontroller 16. After the EEPROM 20 has beenelectrically erased, the microcontroller 16 initiates transfer of thenew application software from the DRAM 18 to the EEPROM 20 for storing.

When a battery-backed SRAM is utilized as non-volatile memory, themicrocontroller stores the revised or replacement version of theapplication software downloaded from the developer directly in the SRAM,again under direction of the downloading operating software stored inthe ROM. The stored application software can then be checked foraccuracy by, for example, a checksum analysis or other verificationroutine.

When power is first applied to the system 10, the bootstrap operatingsoftware verifies that the program guide application software isresident in memory. If it is not resident, the bootstrap operatingsoftware waits for a download of the software. Once the applicationsoftware is resident, the microcontroller 16 executes the applicationprogram software from a dedicated portion of the DRAM 18. Alternatively,the application software can be executed directly from the non-volatilememory 20. Under control of the program guide application software, themicrocontroller 16 first verifies that the program schedule informationis resident in DRAM 18. If it is not resident, the microcontroller waitsfor a download of the program schedule information, as discussed above.Alternatively, if the application program is resident in memory, but thedatabase records containing the program schedule information data arenot yet available, the application software can be configured to carryout other tasks, such as allowing the user to carry out functions notrequiring the program schedule information data, as well as displayingan appropriate message indicating the database data is not yetavailable.

When the schedule system is operating, as discussed in greater detailhereinbelow, the microcontroller 16 takes the program scheduleinformation stored in the DRAM 18 and, in conjunction with otherdownloaded data types such as stored bit maps for the screenconfiguration and the graphic symbol or logo displays stored innon-volatile memory 20 or, alternatively, in DRAM 18, supplies it to avideo display generator (VDG) 23, which in the present embodiment may bea commercially available VGA-type graphics card, such as a Rocgen cardmanufactured by Roctec. The VDG includes a standard RGB video generator24, which takes the digital program schedule information sent by themicrocontroller 16 and converts it to an RGB format in accordance withthe bit map for the particular screen display then being presented tothe user on the television receiver 27. The configuration of each screenis shown and discussed in greater detail in the System Operation sectionbelow.

The VDG also includes a Video Overlay Device 25, which accepts the RGBvideo input, as well as an input from conventional television tuner 28,such as a conventional tuner manufactured by General Instrument or aJerrold DPBB tuner, which supplies a program signal in standard NTSCvideo format. The overlay device 25 converts and combines the RGB signalwith the signal from the tuner 28, and produces a composite NTSC outputsignal containing both the program signal and the program scheduleinformation, as shown in FIG. 2. This composite video signal is suppliedto a modulator 26, shown in FIG. 1, which can be a modulator such asavailable from Radio Shack, and then to the television receiver 27,which the user keeps tuned to the modulated channel, for example,channel 3 or 4. The composite video signal can also be supplied directlyto the television receiver 27 or other receiving device from the VDGthrough a video port 25A on the VDG.

The system components identified in connection with FIG. 1 can all beimplemented in a preferred platform by, for example, an IBM personalcomputer equipped with a transmission link and a video graphics card,such as those manufactured by Roctec. Other platforms, such as a cableconverter box equipped with a microprocessor and memory, or a broadbandnetwork also could be used. Examples of the particular components are asfollows: Microcontroller—Motorola part no. MC68331-16; ROM—TexasInstruments part no. TMS27PC512; DRAM—Texas Instruments part no. TM4256;EEPROM—Intel part no. 28F001BX-T. In any event, those of skill in theart will appreciate that the particular details of the hardwarecomponents and data storage are a function of the particularimplementation of the system, and are not the subject of the presentinvention.

As discussed in detail below, the user may navigate through the programschedule system with a remote controller, such as that shown in FIG. 3,which operates on conventional principles of remote controltransmitter-receiver logic, such as by infrared or other signalling, orother suitable user interface. The remote controller 31 communicateswith the microcontroller 16 through the remote controller receiver 29,shown in FIG. 1, which can be a Silent Partner IR receiver and whichreceives signals transmitted by the remote controller 31 and suppliesthe microcontroller 16 with a corresponding digital signal indicatingthe key depressed by the user.

A remote controller suitable for the present invention, such as shown inFIG. 3, which can be a remote controller manufactured by UniversalElectronics or Presentation Electronics' Silent Partner, may include apower switch 32, volume 33 and mute 34 controls, an ENTER key 35, 0-9digit keys 36, four direction arrow keys 37A and 37B, a MODE key 38 andan information key 39 that is designated with a lower case “i.” Thepower 32, volume 33 and mute 34 keys operate in the same manner asconventional remote controllers typically used with present-daytelevision receivers. The numeric digit keys 36 also function in muchthe same manner as conventional remote controllers. A brief descriptionof the remaining keys follows.

The MODE key 38 takes the user through various layers of the electronicprogram schedule system 10 and generally allows the user to return to aprevious screen when he is in a submenu. The up/down direction arrowkeys 37A allow a user to navigate through the different TV programchannels when the program schedule system is in a FLIP or BROWSE mode,as will be fully described below, and also allow the user to navigatethrough highlighted bars displayed on the TV screen when in a MENU mode.The left/right direction arrow keys 3713 allow the user to navigatethrough selected time periods when the program schedule system is in theBROWSE mode, as will also be described below. They further allow theuser to navigate across subject-matter categories while in the“Categories” submenu of the MENU mode, as well as to navigate acrosstime periods when the program schedule system is in a pay-per-viewordering mode and, in general, navigate in left or right directions toselect various icons and other objects. In addition, the up/down 37A andleft/right 37B arrow keys may be utilized to control the scan feature ofthe present invention as more fully described below. The information, or“i,” key 39 allows the user to view supplemental program and otherinformation during the various modes of the program schedule system. TheENTER 35 key fulfills and inputs a command once the user has made aselection from the remote controller keys. The function and operation ofthese keys will be made more apparent in the detailed discussion of theFLIP, BROWSE and MENU modes below.

A second embodiment of the remote controller 40 is shown in FIG. 4. Thisembodiment of the remote controller also includes a power key 41,numeric digit keys 42, direction arrow keys 43A and 43B, information key48, ENTER or SELECT or “OK” key 44, volume control 45, lockout key 45A,mute keys 46 and help key 49. It also includes pound sign and star keys.

This embodiment of the remote controller further includes a number oficon keys 47A and 47B, which correspond to different submenus or modesof the program schedule system. The icons 47A and 47B may also bedisplayed on the TV screen when the program schedule system isoperating. The icon keys essentially replace the MODE key 38 used in theembodiment of the remote controller shown in FIG. 3. Using these keys,the user can move from one mode to another simply by depressing the iconkey corresponding to the desired mode of operation of the programschedule system. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the icons 47A and 47B areshown as graphic symbols situated directly above a correspondingcolor-coded key. Alternatively, the color-coded keys could be eliminatedand keys could be formed in the image of the icon itself.

The embodiment of the remote controller shown in FIG. 4 also includesthree color-coded viewer preference or favorite channel keys, 48A, 48Band 48C that are situated directly above the icon keys. Each of thesekeys indicates to the program schedule system a distinct user-created“Channel Preference” or “Favorite Channel” list, which is a listing of aspecific subset of channels for a particular user, arranged in thesequential order that the user wishes to view during operation of theprogram schedule system. Thus, the system provides for at least threeindividual channel subsets for three individual users.

The remote controller of FIG. 4 also may be equipped with a “HELP” key49, which, when depressed, causes the microcontroller 16 to retrievepreviously stored instruction messages from memory and cause them to bedisplayed on the television receiver 27. These messages offer help tothe user in the form of instructions that guide the user through theoperation of the various operating modes of the electronic televisionprogram guide. They may be text messages, or instructional video images,or audio programs, depending on the storage capacity of the system, orany combination of these. Moreover, these help messages may be createdso that they are context-sensitive, i.e., the messages displayed dependentirely upon the precise point in the operation of the electronicprogram guide that the user depresses the help key 48A. For example,information could be supplied for operation of the remote controller,for operating the FLIP or BROWSE mode (discussed below), or any othermode of operation of the guide, for impulse ordering, for setting alockout, etc. In order to accomplish this, each point of operation ofthe guide could be coded so that the microprocessor could track thecurrent operating point, for example, by temporarily storing the codereflecting the present operating point as the user operated the guide.When the user pressed the help key 48A, the microcontroller 16 wouldretrieve an appropriate set of messages based on the presently storedoperating point code. Additionally, the i key 39 could be used to carryout the function of the help key.

Finally, the remote controller of FIG. 4 may also be equipped with aSCAN key 50A and GO BACK or EXIT key 50B for use in connection with thescan feature of the present invention as more fully described below.

Additionally, each of the functions of the remote controllers can alsobe integrated into a keypad on the user's cable box or other hardware.

System Operation

In operation, the electronic program schedule system of the presentinvention functions as follows.

FLIP Mode

When the user is viewing a particular program channel on the televisionreceiver, the program schedule system defaults to a FLIP mode, shown inFIG. 5A. In this mode, a graphic overlay 51 containing programminginformation for the channel currently tuned on the tuner is superimposedin overlaying relationship with a received program signal 55 on thescreen of the television receiver 27 whenever the viewer changes theprogram channel, for example, by using the up/down direction arrows onthe remote controller. The video overlay device 25, such as shown inFIG. 1, combines the computer-generated RGB video-graphic overlayinformation with the NTSC-format program signal from the tuner 28, andsupplies. an NTSC-format output signal, which includes the programsignal from the tuner and the program schedule overlay information forviewing on the television receiver 27.

The programming information contained in the graphic overlay 51 issupplied to the RGB video generator by the microcontroller. In FLIPmode, the microcontroller first searches the program schedule databasein, for example, the DRAM 18 to retrieve the programming information forthe currently tuned channel 52 corresponding to the current time; i.e.,the time at which the user just turned on the television receiver forviewing. The microcontroller 16 then supplies the current channel andprogram information to the RGB video generator 24 which converts thedigital data information to RGB format and supplies it to the videooverlay device 25.

In normal operation, the microcontroller 16 defaults to displaying allchannels offered by the cable company prioritized by numeric order,which is determined by the broadcast channel position in the radiospectrum or the marketing judgments of local cable operators. Using afavorite channel list or category criteria as discussed below, the usercan revise the content and/or sequential order of the channels presentedto the television receiver 27.

In general, if the user does not issue a change-channel instruction, orother command, from the remote controller 40 within a predetermined timeinterval while in the FLIP mode, the microcontroller 16 instructs theVDG 23 to remove the graphic overlay 51 from the television receiver,thus presenting only a program signal 55 to the television receiver 27for viewing. The duration of the predetermined time interval is suchthat it allows the user sufficient time to read the programminginformation contained in the overlay. The duration of the predeterminedtime interval during which the graphic 51 overlay appears is stored in alocation in non-volatile memory 20 addressable by the microcontroller16. The user can change the duration of the time interval, by firstentering a Viewer Preference mode, and then selecting an “overlayinterval” entry. The microcontroller 16 then causes a user prompt to bedisplayed on the screen which, for example, asks the user to select anappropriate time period for displaying in the graphic overlay on thescreen. Using the numeric keys, the user can input an appropriateresponse, for example, a period between 5 and 60 seconds, and thendepress ENTER. The new interval period is then read and stored by themicrocontroller 16 in the overlay time interval location in memory.

If the user issues a change-channel command from the remote controller40 before or after the predetermined overlay period has elapsed, eitherby using the up/down direction arrows 43A, or by entering a desiredchannel number using the numeric keys 42 and then depressing the ENTERkey 44, the microcontroller 16 will cause the tuner 28 to tune to thedesired channel—either the channel immediately preceding or followingthe current channel when the up or down arrow 43A is used or thespecific channel entered on the numeric key pad by the user—and willalso search for and immediately cause to be displayed the currentprogram information for that channel. Thus, as the user flips throughthe channels, the program schedule information for any selected channelautomatically appears in the graphic overlay 51 while the actual program55 appearing on the selected channel at the particular time occupies theremainder of the screen.

The system can also be configured to issue an error message, such as anaudible beep or displayed text indicating an invalid key stroke, if theuser depresses either the left or right direction arrow keys while inthe FLIP mode.

In the FLIP mode, the scan feature may be activated by pressing a SCANbutton 50A on the remote controller as shown in FIG. 4, by pressing andholding down one of the directional arrow keys (i.e. the up/down arrowkeys designated 37A and 43A in FIGS. 3 and 4, respectively) for apredetermined user or system defined amount of time (e.g., 3 seconds),or by providing a SCAN icon button on the FLIP graphic overlay so thatthe user may navigate to the button and depress the ENTER or OK key onthe remote controller (35 or 44 in FIGS. 3 and 4, respectively) toactivate a scan. In the case where a directional arrow key is used, theuser may control the scan to go forward (up arrow key) or backward (downarrow key) in the channel sequence. In the case where a scan button 50Ais used on the remote control device or a scan icon button on a graphicdisplay, the system will automatically begin a forward scan.

When the scan feature is activated while the system is in the FLIP mode,the data processor will cause the tuner to tune to the channel onehigher (forward scan) or one lower (backward scan) than the currentlytuned channel. In addition, the channel number from which the scan wasinitiated may be stored in the system's volatile memory (e.g., DRAM 18).This channel from which the scan was initiated is referred tohereinafter as the “start” channel. According to the ordinary operationof the FLIP mode, the program information will be displayed as if theuser had simply changed the channel. After a preset period of time, thesystem will tune to the next highest (or lowest) channel and, againaccording to the ordinary operation of the FLIP mode, the correspondingprogram information will be displayed. After another period of time, thenext highest (or lowest) channel in sequence will be tuned, and so on.

In a preferred embodiment, the system may be configured to automaticallyenter flip mode when a scan is initiated even if the user is watchingtelevision without the program guide activated. In this manner, programschedule information is automatically displayed to indicate the programcurrently airing on each channel as the program is displayed for thebrief scan period. This is particularly useful in the situation where acommercial is being displayed while a channel is scanned, therebypreventing the user form identifying the program currently airing onthat channel.

At such time as the present channel is the last available channel in thesequence, the next channel tuned during the operation of the scanfunction will be the first available channel in the sequence, just as anordinary tuner “wraps around” to the lowest available channel inresponse to a channel up command from the highest available channel. Forexample, after reaching the highest available channel, the system willnext scan to the lowest available channel, i.e., channel 2, or, on somesystems, channel 1 or 0. Thereafter, the system will operate asdescribed above, successively tuning for the predetermined time period,the next highest channel, until the scan is turned off by user action ora predetermined time out. Alternatively, the system may be configured tostop the scan when all available channels have been scanned and thestart channel is tuned again.

If the user wishes to cause the tuner to stop the scan and remain tunedto the channel currently tuned during a scan, he may depress the SCANkey 50A again, or the OK or ENTER key 44, on the remote control device.The scan feature will then be deactivated and the user may proceed toview the selected program in the FLIP mode of operation.

An optional feature that may be provided in connection with the scanfeature is the ability to immediately terminate a scan and return to thestart channel. This may be implemented by designating a key on theremote control device that deactivates the scan and returns the systemto the start channel in FLIP mode. For example a key 50B labelled “GOBACK” or “EXIT” may be provided on remote control device 40 shown inFIG. 4. Alternatively, an existing key on the remote control device maybe utilized. For example, if a forward scan was initiated using, e.g.,the up arrow key, the system may be configured so that depression of thedown arrow key during a scan will terminate the scan and return thetuner to the start channel.

FIGS. 5B-5C illustrate the operation of a forward scan in FLIP mode,assuming the start channel is 5 as shown in FIG. 5A. As shown in FIGS.5B-C, operation is identical to normal FLIP mode as if the user haddepressed the channel up key two separate times. To the user, the onlydifference is that by depressing the SCAN key 50A a single time, ordepressing and holding the channel up key a single time, the tunerautomatically increments the channel by one after a predetermined amountof time. In addition, the word “Scan” may be displayed above the word“Flip” as shown in FIGS. 5B-C to alert the user that scan mode isactivated.

The time period or term for which the tuner remains tuned to aparticular channel during a scan operation (hereinafter “term”) may befixed or user-definable. The term is stored in the system's non-volatilememory (e.g., DRAM 18). If the term is fixed, it should be sufficientlylong to permit the user to evaluate the desirability of each channel'sprogram and act accordingly, but sufficiently short to enable the userto cycle through all the available channels in a reasonable amount oftime. As examples, terms of five or ten seconds may be chosen.

If the system is configured to permit the user to choose the term, anappropriate default term is nevertheless selected. To change the scanterm, a set-up menu (for example, by pressing the “MENU” key 47B on theremote controller 40) may be provided with a menu item labelled, forexample, “Change Scan Term.” Other appropriate labels may equally wellbe used. This selection causes the system to display the “Select ScanTerm” screen shown in FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 6, the legend “SelectScan Term” appears at the top of the screen and the legend “UseLeft/Right Arrow Keys to Select Minutes/Seconds” appears below the userinput fields.

When the screen is first displayed, the number of minutes and seconds ofthe current term is displayed in the fields adjacent to the labels“Minutes” and “Seconds”, respectively. The number of seconds ishighlighted, indicating that the value of that field may be changed. Theuser may enter a desired number of seconds using the number keys 42 onthe remote controller, or the user may increase or decrease the term inone-second increments by pressing the up/down keys 42A on the remotecontroller. Pressing either the right or left arrow keys 43B on theremote controller while the seconds field is highlighted will cause theminutes field to be highlighted for editing.

When the minutes field is highlighted, the number of minutes of the termis displayed. The user may enter a desired number of minutes using thenumber keys on the remote controller, or the user may increase ordecrease the term in one-minute increments by pressing the up/down keys42A on the remote controller, respectively. Pressing either the right orleft arrow keys 43B on the remote controller while the minutes field ishighlighted will cause the seconds field to be highlighted for editing.

When the user is satisfied that the seconds and minutes fields reflectthe desired term, the OK or ENTER button 44 on the remote controller ispressed, and the term is updated in the system's non-volatile memory.Thereafter, the new term will be used when the scan feature isactivated.

BROWSE Mode

To initiate the BROWSE mode, the user depresses the MODE switch oncewhile in the FLIP mode when using the first embodiment of the remotecontroller 31 shown in FIG. 3. Utilizing the second embodiment of theremote controller 40 shown in FIG. 4, the user would depress the buttonbelow the BROWSE icon 47A.

In the BROWSE mode, the user is provided with the ability to browsethrough program schedule information for any channel, including, but notlimited to, the channel being viewed, while at the same time continuingto view the TV program previously selected. As shown in FIG. 7, in thismode the graphic overlay information that appears in the FLIP mode isreplaced with programming information for the channel being browsed,which may or may not be the channel currently being viewed by the user.After the user issues the command from the remote controller 40 to enterthe BROWSE mode, a graphic overlay 111 is generated, as in the FLIPmode, with program schedule information for the currently tuned channel112 and a textual BROWSE indicator 113 to remind the user of thecurrently active mode, as shown in FIG. 7.

If the user depresses either the up or down direction arrow on theremote controller 40 while in the BROWSE mode, program scheduleinformation for either the prior or next channel is displayed in thegraphic overlay portion 111 of the television receiver screen 27, whilethe tuner remains tuned to the channel program that appeared on thetelevision receiver at the time the user entered the BROWSE mode, asshown in FIG. 8, and continues to so appear. Each successive depressionof the up or down direction arrow key produces corresponding programschedule information for the selected channel. The graphic overlay mayalso include a small video window for showing the actual video signal ofa currently aired program or a clip of a future program corresponding tothe schedule information then appearing in the BROWSE overlay. In thisway, the user can simultaneously browse program schedule information forall channels while continuously viewing at least one selected program onthe television receiver. With the advent of sophisticated televisionreceivers, it may also be possible to simultaneously display multiplebroadcast programs on a single screen for viewing, or to split thescreen to show, for example, broadcast programs in combination withadvertisements. The BROWSE feature could be used in any of thesesituations.

If, at any time during browsing of the program schedule information inthe BROWSE mode, the user desires to tune the television receiver 27from the program channel currently being viewed to the program channelindicated in the schedule information in the graphic overlay, he simplydepresses the ENTER button 44 and the tuner 28 will be tuned to thatchannel. If the user does not want to view another channel and wishes toexit the BROWSE mode, thus removing the graphic overlay 111 with theprogram schedule information, he must depress the MODE key twice in thefirst embodiment of the remote controller 31. The first depression ofthe MODE key takes the user to the MENU mode, discussed below, and thesecond depression will take the user to the FLIP mode. Once in the FLIPmode, the graphic overlay will be removed after the duration of thetime-out interval has passed. In the second embodiment of the remotecontroller shown in FIG. 4, the user toggles the BROWSE icon key todeactivate the BROWSE mode.

When the user first enters the BROWSE mode and begins browsing channels,the schedule information appearing in the overlay portion 111 describesthe programs currently playing on any particular channel. In order toview programming information for later or earlier times, the useremploys the left and right direction arrows 43B. As a consequence, thesystem will display future program schedule information for theparticular channel previously selected by the up and down directionarrows, whether it is the channel currently being viewed or any otheravailable channel. The schedule information presented includes the nameof the program and program start/stop time. The instant embodiment ofthe system, in order to conserve memory, will not allow the user to viewprogramming information for a time prior to the current time. The systemcould be easily modified to provide such information if adequate memoryis made available. It may be desirable, for example, to allow a user toview schedule information for an earlier time to find a particular showand then allow the user to command the microcontroller to find anddisplay future airing dates of the show, or the microcontroller couldsimply do this automatically.

When viewing program schedule information for a future time in theBROWSE mode, the displayed time of airing 121 of the particular show 122is highlighted, as well as the channel number and service indicator 123,as shown in FIG. 8A. Such highlighted information reminds the user thathe is viewing program schedule information for a future time. Also, whenviewing program schedule information for a future time on any particularchannel in the BROWSE mode, depression of the channel up direction arrowkey on the remote controller 40 causes programming schedule informationfor the next channel to appear, which corresponds in time to the futuretime that was being viewed before the up key was depressed by the user.The channel down direction arrow key 43B functions identically in thismode.

If while viewing program schedule information for a future time inBROWSE mode the user depresses the ENTER key on the remote controller,the microcontroller 16 will instruct the VDG 23 to display a REMINDERoverlay message 130 which, as shown in FIG. 9A, is displayed as a secondoverlay 131 appearing above the BROWSE overlay 132. The REMINDER message130 queries the user as to whether the system should remind the user, ata predetermined time before the start of the selected program, that heor she would like to view the selected program, as shown in FIG. 9A. Ifthe user responds affirmatively, the microcontroller 16 stores reminderdata consisting of at least the channel, time and day of the selectedprogram in a reminder buffer, which contains similar scheduleinformation for all programs for which the user has. set a reminder. Ata pre-determined time before the selected program start time, forexample, five minutes, the microcontroller 16 will retrieve scheduleinformation, including title and service, based on the reminder data,and will instruct the VDG 23 to display a REMINDER overlay message 140on the television receiver 27, as shown in FIG. 9B, to remind the userthat he or she previously set a reminder to watch the selected program.The REMINDER message 140 contains the channel, service and start time.It also displays the number of minutes before the time of airing of theparticular show and updates the display every minute until the time ofairing. The REMINDER message 140 also displays a “TUNE” inquiry, whichasks the user if she would like to tune to the selected program. Whenthe user sets multiple reminders, the reminder overlays are stacked, forexample, in ascending order according to the time each reminder isscheduled to be displayed, and the next reminder message will appear onthe television receiver after the user takes appropriate action toremove the reminder message then being displayed. The REMINDER message(140) could also be adapted to allow the user to display or modify alist of all reminders previously set by the user. As with the overlaydisplay time period in the FLIP mode, the user can modify the timeperiod before a selected program that the REMINDER message appears byentering the Viewer Preference mode and revising the time entry.

When the user selects a future program, he may also be queried whetherto set a VCR timer for programmed recording. When a user presses theENTER button 44 on the remote control device while a future program isselected, the user may also be queried whether the system should set aVCR timer to control a VCR to turn on at the scheduled start time of theprogram and turn off at the scheduled off time. A REMINDER message maythen be displayed, e.g., two minutes before recording is to begin toquery the user whether to cancel the recording of the program.

The scan feature of the present invention may also be used with theBROWSE mode of an EPG. If the scan feature is activated while the EPG isin BROWSE mode, by, e.g., pressing and holding an up/down key 43A orleft/right key 43B, the particular key chosen will determine whether thescan is by time or by channel and the direction of the scan. Forexample, the up arrow key will initiate a forward channel scan, the downarrow key a backward channel scan, the right key a forward time scan,and the left key a backward time scan (if past program scheduleinformation is kept in memory). Alternatively, if the scan is initiatedusing the SCAN button 50A on the remote control device, the user can bequeried whether the scan should proceed channel-wise or time-wise anddepresses a designated key to choose one or the other. For example, asshown in FIG. 10, the user presses the “1” number key on the remotecontroller to proceed channel-wise or presses the “2” number key on theremote controller to proceed time-wise. Alternatively, the system may beconfigured to begin the scan in the direction of the most recentdirectional arrow key pressed by the user.

The BROWSE mode channel-wise scan feature begins by displaying theprogram information for the currently viewed television channel or,optionally, for the then-current program on the next channel in thesequence. After the term has elapsed, the program information for thecurrent program on the next television channel is likewise displayed,and so on. Three successive screen displays for a channel-wise scan areshown in FIGS. lA, 11B, and 11C. As illustrated in those figures, thetextual messages “BROWSE” and “SCAN” may be included to indicate thecurrent operational mode of the EPG to the user.

As in the FLIP mode scan, at such time as the program information isbeing displayed for the last available channel in the sequence, thesystem wraps around to the first available channel in the sequence.Thereafter, the system will operate as described above, successivelydisplaying, for the term, program information for the next channel inthe sequence.

A BROWSE mode channel-wise scan for the current time period may beterminated in several ways. Also as in the flip mode, during achannel-wise BROWSE-mode scan, the user may press the ENTER or OK key 44to terminate the scan at a desired channel. This will cause the tuner totune to the desired channel. Alternatively, the user may depress the GOBACK or EXIT key 50B to terminate the scan and return to the BROWSE modeof the EPG with the start channel information displayed, i.e., theprogram schedule information that was displayed when the user initiatedthe BROWSE scan. As a third option, if a SCAN key 50A is provided on theremote control device, the user may depress this key to simply terminatethe scan and return to normal BROWSE mode using the currently displayedprogram schedule information.

Alternatively, if the BROWSE channel-wise scan is scanning programschedule information for a future time period, upon depression of theENTER or OK key 44, the user may be queried whether he wishes to set aREMINDER message for the program or set a VCR timer to control a VCR torecord the program at its scheduled time. As for a BROWSE channel-wisescan, depressing the GO BACK or EXIT key 50B will terminate the scan andreturn the user to the BROWSE mode of the EPG with the start channelinformation displayed, i.e., the program schedule information that wasdisplayed when the user initiated the BROWSE scan. Again as for a BROWSEchannel-wise scan, if a SCAN key 50A is provided on the remote controldevice, the user may depress this key to simply terminate the scan andreturn to normal BROWSE mode using the currently displayed programschedule information.

For either a BROWSE channel-wise or time-wise scan, the system may beconfigured to automatically terminate the scan and return to a displayof program schedule information for the start channel once programschedule information for each available channel has been displayed.

A BROWSE mode time-wise scan begins by displaying the programinformation for the currently viewed program or, optionally, for theprogram next to air on the currently viewed channel. Alternatively, ifpast listings are stored in memory, a backward time-wise scan may beinitiated. A time-wise scan is instituted while displaying programschedule information for a particular channel and time. After the termhas elapsed, the information for the next (or previous) program on thesame channel is displayed, and so on.

As compared with a FLIP mode or BROWSE mode channel-wise scan, a BROWSEmode time-wise scan requires the establishment of an additionalparameter. Either as a default or as defined by the user, in a time-wisescan it is necessary to define the outer limit of the time window forwhich information is displayed during the scan. The limit may simply beco-extensive with the storage capacity of the system. Alternatively, adifferent default value may be used, such as the end of the calendar dayor a window extending 24 hours into the future. In a forward time-wisescan, once the scan reaches the end of the time window, the system willwrap around to the current time. Alternatively, if past listings arestored, the system could be configured to wrap around to the earlieststored listing for the given channel. Rather than wrapping around, thesystem may also be configured to terminate the scan automatically whenthe last program in the time window is reached. As another option, aset-up screen may be provided where the user can select the time window.Finally, as yet another option, rather than defining a time window, thewindow may be defined based on the number of programs so that, e.g., thesystem will scan ahead to the next 10 programs scheduled for the channeland then wrap around to the program scheduled for the current time.Similarly, the user set-up screen may also be configured to permit theuser to define the window based on number of programs.

Three successive screen displays for a time-wise BROWSE scan are shownin FIGS. 12A, 12B, and 12C.

Alternatively, rather than a program-by-program display, the successiveprogram information displays can be for programs airing on the currentlyviewed channel at each hour and half-hour interval, whether or not a newprogram begins at that time. Three successive screen displays for thiskind of time-wise scan are shown in FIGS. 13A, 13B, and 13C. As shown inFIGS. 13A, 13B, and 13C, the information presented for the futureprograms includes an identification of the half-hour segment for whichinformation is presented, the tide of the program, the program's starttime, and the program's end time.

In BROWSE mode, when a time-wise scan is performed and the user pressesthe ENTER or OK key 44 while program schedule information for a futureprogram is displayed, the system may be configured to query the userwhether he wishes to set a REMINDER message for the program or set a VCRtimer to control a VCR to record the program at the scheduled time asdiscussed above.

In a preferred embodiment, as the system is performing a browse scan,the program schedule information for the presently displayed listing iscompletely removed from the display before program schedule informationfor the next sequential listing is displayed. In addition, as for manualbrowse, during a browse scan, rather than (or in addition to) displayingtextual information for programs other than the currently-tuned program,the system may be configured to display the video signal for currentlyairing programs for a current time channel-wise scan, or video clips forfuture programs for a future time channel-wise scan or a time-wise scan.In an alternate embodiment, the system may be configured to displayprogram schedule information for multiple channels (during achannel-wise scan) or multiple time periods (during a time-wise scan).

FIG. 14 illustrates a “Category Listing” mode in which program scheduleinformation is displayed and categorized by program content. Theparticular listing shown in FIG. 14 includes the categories of Movies,Sports, News and Children 190A-190D. The database record stored for eachlisting contains a content-specific identifier so the microcontrollercan search the database and categorize the information by content forpurposes of displaying it in the Category Listing mode. As shown in FIG.14, the user can manipulate the cursor left or right to highlight anyone of the categories which appear at the head of the listing. In FIG.14, the “Movies” category 190A is selected. As shown, the user is givena display of all movies, prioritized by time and then alphabetically bytitle of show, beginning with the half-hour immediately preceding thecurrent time unless the current time is on the hour or half-hour, inwhich case the display begins with the particular hour or half-hour. Thescreen display shown in FIG. 14 also includes a textual description ofthe current operating mode of the program schedule system.

If the user highlights a show which is currently airing, he canimmediately tune to that show by depressing the ENTER key on the remotecontroller 40. If the highlighted show is one that will appear at futuretime, the user is again given the option of setting a REMINDER messageor a VCR timer.

The scan feature may also be utilized in conjunction with subsets of theavailable channels. For example, it will be apparent to those ofordinary skill in the art that the scan feature may be used inconjunction with the Listings by Category mode of an EPG so that, e.g.,if the user is in FLIP mode but viewing only sports programs, when ascan is initiated, only those channels currently displaying sportsprograms are tuned during the scan. The same is true for a channel-wisescan in BROWSE mode—the set of channels included in a BROWSEchannel-wise scan may be limited to channels for which programs in aparticular category are scheduled to appear, whether the system isscanning through programs scheduled to appear during the current timeperiod or a future time period.

In addition, in a time-wise browse scan, the system of the presentinvention may be configured to permit the user to select certain timeperiods in the time window for which schedule information is displayed.For example, if the system stores three days of program scheduleinformation, and the time window for a BROWSE time-wise scan is set tobe coextensive with the storage capacity of the system, the user may beprovided with a set-up screen to control a time-wise BROWSE scan to skipcertain time periods and display only program schedule information for,e.g., prime time (8:00-11:00 pm), but not other time periods.

Similarly, the user may activate a favorite channel list to control ascan in FLIP mode or a channel-wise BROWSE scan. The use of favoritechannel lists to restrict the channels in a channel tuning sequence isknown in the art. Thus, in FLIP mode, only channels on the selectedfavorite channel list are tuned for the scan and in BROWSE mode, onlyprogram schedule information for channels on the user's favorite channellist is displayed.

FIG. 15 illustrates a “Channel Listing” mode in which the programschedule information is categorized and displayed by channel. The screendisplay shown in FIG. 15 includes a textual mode identifier 201 and thewindow including the logo icon 182 and alternating time/date display183. At the head of the program listing is a list of several consecutivechannels 202A-202C beginning with the last channel viewed by the userbefore entering the Channel Listing mode. The channel in the middlewindow 202B is highlighted and is the channel for which scheduleinformation is displayed. The display identifies those programsappearing on the highlighted channel beginning with the half-hourimmediately preceding the current time unless the current time is on thehour or half-hour, in which case the display begins with the particularhour or half-hour. The user can display further future listings bymanipulating the cursor to the bottom of the screen and paging thedisplay, as previously described. The user can also change the selectedchannel by manipulating the left or right direction arrow keys on theremote controller 40. When the user issues a change-channel command inthis manner, the next consecutive channel will be displayed in thehighlighted window 202B in the channel string at the head of thedisplay, and schedule information for the newly selected channel will bedisplayed on the television receiver 27.

As with other modes, if a user wishes to tune to a highlighted programthat is currently airing, he can do so by simply depressing the ENTERkey on the remote controller 40, and if the user wishes to view orrecord a program that airs at a future time, the user is again given theoption of setting a REMINDER message or a VCR timer.

The scan feature may also be implemented in connection with modes of theguide other than FLIP and BROWSE that utilize full screen displays ofprogram schedule information. For example, in the Channel Listings mode,a scan can be initiated so that the system automatically pages throughmultiple screens of listings as shown in FIG. 15—each screen for adifferent time period and the same channel—displaying each page for apredetermined term. Similarly, in the By Time mode of an EPG whereprogram schedule information for a plurality of channels and a singletime period is displayed, the scan feature may be used to scan throughthe different channels. Scans may be initiated in the same manner asdescribed above—by pressing and holding an up/down arrow key 43A or bypressing the SCAN key 50A. A scan in either of these modes may beterminated by pressing the ENTER or OK key 44 or SCAN key 50A to stopthe scan so as to permit the user to select a program for viewing (orset a REMINDER message or VCR timer) from the currently displayed pageof program schedule information.

Additionally, the electronic program guide could be configured to storea unique digital identifier. for each program along with its scheduleinformation and later use the identifier—e.g., by transmitting it—toindicate to a recording or storage device, such as a video recorder,that the user wishes to record the program. The program guide could alsouse the identifier to automatically control operation of the videorecorder. The electronic program guide could also be configured to useother stored schedule information for this purpose.

The form and content of a particular computer program to implement theinvention disclosed herein will be readily apparent to those skilled inthe art of video system programming and graphic display. It will also beappreciated by those skilled in the art that there can be departure fromthe specific embodiment of the invention described herein withoutdeparting from the true scope of the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for displaying television programs andprogram listings, comprising: automatically displaying each of aplurality of channels in a sequence on a screen; and automaticallydisplaying stationary program listings as an overlay on top of eachchannel in the sequence; wherein one of the program listings displayedon each channel is for the program that is displayed on that channel. 2.The method defined in claim 1 wherein a user input generates a startscan command and wherein each of the plurality of channels isautomatically displayed in response to the start scan command.
 3. Themethod defined in claim 1 wherein a user input generates a stop scancommand and wherein the automatic displaying of each of the plurality ofchannels is terminated in response to the stop scan command.
 4. Themethod defined in claim 1 wherein the sequence of channels is in numberorder.
 5. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the sequence of channelsis consecutively numbered channels.
 6. The method defined in claim 1wherein each of the plurality of channels is automatically displayed fora period of time which is user definable.
 7. The method defined in claim1 wherein the automatic displaying of each of the plurality of channelscommences while displaying a first channel and terminates whiledisplaying a given channel, the method further comprising displaying thegiven channel following termination of the automatic displaying of thechannels.
 8. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the automaticdisplaying of each of the plurality of channels commences whiledisplaying a first channel and terminates while displaying a givenchannel, the method further comprising displaying the first channelfollowing termination of the automatic displaying of the channels. 9.The method defined in claim 1 wherein the plurality of channelscomprises a user-defined favorite channel list.
 10. The method definedin claim 1 wherein each of the displayed stationary program listingscontains a single program by itself.
 11. A program guide system thatreceives and displays program listings and television channels,comprising: a video display generator; and a processor that directs thevideo display generator to: automatically display each of a plurality ofchannels in a sequence on a screen; and automatically display stationaryprogram listings as an overlay on top of each channel in the sequence;wherein one of the program listings displayed on each channel is for theprogram that is displayed on that channel.